Relationships
Importance of Healthy Student Relationships in Schools
Healthy relationships among students are a cornerstone of a positive school environment. When young people experience supportive and respectful relationships with their peers, they are more likely to have stronger mental well-being and a greater sense of safety and belonging at school. These connections help students feel secure, valued, and confident in who they are.
Students who develop a growth mindset, resilience, and a sense of acceptance among peers are better equipped to navigate challenges both academically and socially. Feeling valued is especially important during school years, where students are often surrounded by diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and personalities. This environment can be challenging, particularly when students may not yet have the skills or emotional maturity to respectfully debate, disagree, or resolve conflicts.
Teaching students how to build and maintain healthy relationships is not easy, but it is one of the most critical areas of learning. These skills—such as communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and mutual respect—are essential not only for success in school but for lifelong success beyond the classroom. By intentionally fostering these abilities, schools can create environments where students feel supported, understood, and empowered to thrive.
uBEATS Interactive E-Learning Curriculum Resources
uBEATS: Enhancing School Safety Through STEM Learning
UNO & UNMC Building Excellence in Academics Through STEM (uBEATS) is a series of engaging educational modules designed for students in grades 6–12. These modules serve as a companion resource to your core curriculum, offering additional, high-quality content that builds on what students are already learning in the classroom.
Developed by education and STEM experts at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), uBEATS provides a trusted, research-based learning experience.
Why Use uBEATS?
- Enhances school safety education
- Supports substance use awareness
- Engages students with interactive, STEM-focused content
- Easy to integrate into existing coursework
Accessing uBEATS
Getting started is simple:
- Teachers complete a registration form.
- Once registered, teachers receive access to the free uBEATS library of course modules.
- Teachers can then share access with their students via the platform.
Note: To keep uBEATS free, teachers are asked to register individually and not share the full library outside their classrooms.
Recommended Focus Areas
While the uBEATS library includes a wide range of modules, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) School Safety Team recommends focusing on these key course module areas that are most effective in improving relationships:
Academic Success Modules
Behavioral Health Modules
Value-Up Presentations
The three things that can change the path of a potential incident in a school are having a Threat Assessment Team, Anonymous Report Services, and a Students Connection to an adult in school. Value-Up and Mike Donahue, the founder of the program, has been doing presentations and providing books and curriculum to help build stronger adult and student relationships across Nebraska and the United States.
Mike Donahue is a nationally known speaker living here in Nebraska who has a unique ability to create the connections and relationships between children and adults. After over three decades of working with youth, Mike has come to understand that so many teen issues are directly related to how students view themselves. If a student believes they have high intrinsic value and identify with that high value, they will make life choices that match their perceived value. If you would like to have Value-Up brought to your community or to learn more reach out on Value-Up. Or contact our safety team.
Mike recently released his newest book ‘The Power in the Hallways’ to work in conjunction with his books ‘Talking to Brick Walls’ and “Value Up’. All of these are great reads and tools to apply in our classrooms across Nebraska to help foster healthier relationships with youth in schools.
Improve Classroom Climate & Culture When the Day Starts with a Kindness 101 Video
Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman
The Kindness 101 video series by Steve Hartman is a powerful resource for building character and strengthening relationship skills in students of all ages. Each short, engaging video introduces important concepts such as resiliency, grit, enthusiasm, positivity, honesty, listening, and friendship.
These videos provide an excellent opportunity to start class periods with meaningful conversations. After viewing, teachers can guide discussions that encourage students to reflect on their actions, consider the perspectives of others, and explore what it means to “do the right thing.”
Incorporating Kindness 101 into the classroom helps foster a culture & climate of respect, empathy, and kindness. It reminds us—and our students—that we never truly know what others may be going through, making it all the more important to treat each other with compassion and understanding.